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Holy Spirit

There is a disturbing trend in the Protestant world. The use of obscene and near obscene words in order to provoke praises from the congregation. For your viewing “pleasure,” I submit the following videos (please be seated and try to restrain yourself from throwing something at the monitor):

The Eddie Long (yes, that Eddie Long) clip is the oldest of the three. The other two are recent and the one from Dr. Jamal Bryant I just saw today.

I am not sure if this is anything new. Perhaps there have always been ministers who have tried to push the envelope of what could and could not be said from the pulpit. But, back then there were church elders, deacons, and denominational authorities who were not afraid to correct such foolishness. Back then, there were preachers who were humble enough to admit their fault and not repeat it. I am afraid those days are over as we have a Christian culture which rejects tradition (don’t nobody want to hear them old songs anymore). Older members and those who hold to the idea that some things ought not be said from the sacred desk (Plexiglas) are written off as followers of man’s tradition and not the “Holy Spirit.”

Indeed, to criticize such antics is an invitation to be deemed as “quenching the Spirit.” This is especially true if the preacher is popular and is well educated (Dr. Jamal Bryant), has a prominent title (Bishop Eddie Long), or a female (you just hatin’ on Pastor Leondra Johnson because she is a “mighty woman of God”). In the current Christian culture where the “Spirit” is measured by how many people are excited in worship, any rules of humility, decency, and respect can be thrown out of the window. In the small, rural Baptist church I used to serve, I was approached by my elders for saying “darn” and “funky.” While I did preach a series of sermons on sex, I first warned the congregation that I was going to do it a week ahead of time and I carefully wrote out the manuscripts to make sure my wording was respectful of the house of God.

But in churches where there are few elders and the ones that are there have no backbone to take a stand, a preacher can say whatever he wishes and say that it was the Holy Ghost that moved him to say it. He will call it “Preaching the truth without any sugar-coating.” By claiming the words came from the Holy Ghost, no one can hold him accountable. In our church history, we respect “no sugar-coating” preachers. Thus, the same words heard in dance clubs are heard in modern churches. And as secular culture becomes more tolerant of profanity and nudity, I shudder to think of what we will see and hear in the too near future.

Shock brings in ratings. Over-the-top words and statements attract listeners not so much because they agree with the speaker. But, because they want to see and hear how far he will push the envelope. This is true in comedy, music, political punditry, and other media. Protestantism (and maybe Catholicism and Orthodoxy) is not immune. With liturgical and well-structured denominations, this problem may not be quite as evident. But in the many “non-denominations,” this is a major threat and present danger. The preachers want notoriety to gain members. Some will do this honestly by serving with sincerity. Others will feel the pressure to get more people to follow them and will resort to low methods to do so. These videos ae bad enough. I believe the worst is yet to come.

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. (2 Timothy 4:3)

And so it begins. At 8:45 AM, I received Chrismation beside my sponsor, Seraphim Hamilton, by my priest, Fr. James Purdie. Fr. James joked with my wife saying that she had better take her photos quickly as the ceremony is over in the blink of an eye. And as it was. I was sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit by being anointed with Chrism (a specially scented oil used for the newly baptized and converts). Being anointed and reading the Nicene Creed, I was welcomed into the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

It wasn’t a very emotional experience for me. I was already on the path to conversion and pretty much considered myself a closet Orthodox Christian in the first place. This pretty much confirmed what had already happened to me. If anything, I was more joyful that my wife who rarely attended services at Trinity Baptist Church in my 17 years as pastor was at my side. She may have been unsuccessful at taking photos with her camera. But, she had the strength to be with me on this part of my spiritual journey. That is what really made me happy.

During Matins, some of the other worshipers came in and whispered words of congratulations. St. Basil was packed today and there was a guest deacon from St. Paul’s in Emmaus, PA where Fr. Andrew Damick is the pastor. My wife, who is not really interested in converting any time soon, followed the Divine Liturgy better than I did when I first visited the church. Taking the Holy Eucharist was moving to me as I took the bread and wine from the same cup as all of my fellow believers. This was a common-union in act as well as word. Immediately after receiving the body and blood of our Lord and Savior, I could not wait to give a piece of the blessed bread to the woman who has put up with the best and worst (and I gave her plenty of worst) of me.

Then came the Theophany service and the blessing of the Holy Water. This was a first for me. The service was not as long as Pascha (Orthodox Easter … Pascha is Greek for Passover). But, you could tell the little children were more than a bit restless. There were a few snacks prepared for Coffee Hour (in some traditions, this is the “Agape Meal”). But the best part of the repast was the conversation with Seraphim and Jeff Edens as we shared how we came to Orthodoxy. We have Ethiopians, Russians, and a couple of other immigrants and first and second generation (“cradles”) at St. Basil. But, most of us are converts from either Catholicism or some form of Protestantism. Me being the first African-American convert in the church means that I have an interesting story of how I came to the faith. But, in the end, I think we all came to the Orthodox Church for the same reason. We all wanted to experience the presence of God the same way the early Christians did. Of all the denominations, we found this church to be the oldest and most authentic form of worship with a deep well spring of history, spirituality, and wisdom. We don’t hate our former denominations in any way, shape, or form. In the end, God and God alone determines who enters His kingdom. We believe Othodoxy offers a more complete and holistic path of self denial, carrying our crosses, and following Jesus Christ. Nearly 2,000 years of the same doctrine seems a good path to follow.

I thank God for my wife and my new church home (in a most unlikely place). St. Basil the Great Antiochian Orthodox Church, 1022 Poquoson Avenue, Poquoson, Virginia 23662.

Oh Lord and King, grant me the grace to be aware of my sins and not to judge my brother and sister …

From the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian

As with most men, lust is a problem that I struggle with. In today’s society, it is tolerated as long as one keeps his hands to himself. In fact, lust is expected, celebrated, and used for commercial purposes (Hooters, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, and the like). The ease in which one can access the most abusive and cruel forms of pornography on the internet makes this sin even more dangerous. Since taking up the journey toward Orthodoxy, I have put aside my worst manifestations of this sin. Yet, I still succumbed to my eyes and imagination more times that I wish to count or share.

This Lent, I have made it a special point to refrain from such wicked imaginations. I tell myself that if an Orthodox married man refrains from touching his wife during the fast, what gives me the right to fantasize being with any woman. My wife suffers from both Bipolar Disorder and Multiple Sclerosis. Thus, lust has been a great burden on me. But, I went into the fast believing that God will deliver me from this chronic problem.

A necessary part of the spiritual healing process is to be made fully aware of one’s sin. By indulging in lust, I separate myself from the greatest icon I have in my home. My wife is my greatest icon for Christ counts Himself with the lowly and afflicted:

‘In as much as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:40)

The other icons I have in my home, if I ignore or misuse them, that would be bad enough. They are man-made widows into heaven. In fact, I can change windows and move them around as I see fit without any consequences. But, how many times have I ignored, shut out, been angry with, neglected, and belittled my wife desiring someone else? How many times have I failed to pray for, pray with, and show affection for my wife? Again, since being on the Orthodox journey, I have improved. Praying for her, struggling against my passions, and offering the Lenten Prayer has broken me to see how far I have fallen and how far I have to go. What I have done to her, I have done to Jesus. What I do to her, I do to Jesus. No wonder Paul advises us to “Work out your salvation in fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).

It is no wonder why the Early Fathers (some date back to Irenaeus for this tradition) prescribed the 40 day Lenten Fast. Once when we are broken by the awareness of our fallen state, it takes time to be moulded into useful vessels of the Gospel. Orthodoxy calls for fasting throughout the year to help remind us that we are still a work in progress. In the Trisagion Prayers, we constantly ask for the mercy of the Holy Trinity. The Jesus Prayer underscores the fact that we are to be the tax collector and not the Pharisee (Luke 18:10-14). In the Ancient Faith, confession is a sacrament before God with the priest as a witness in the body of Christ as well as a private act. And that we begin the fast with Forgiveness Vespers where we all ask each other, including the priest and bishops present, to forgive our sins.

I am broken as I have seen and understand that I have not been a good husband nor as good as others think I am. It is not my place to compare myself to other men. I will be judged on my actions, words, and THOUGHTS (Matthew 5:27-30). I acknowledge my broken state. I have faith in the healing process. I have hope that the Lord will restore my wife. I have hope that He will restore me for her according to His will.

No wonder Sts. Anthony, Isaac, and others went out into the desert. There is always something to distract us from maintaining our prayers. I haven’t really had any food temptations (yet). But, there are always things to dissuade me from prayer. Being an hour away from any Orthodox Church, I am not going to make it to too many Pre-Sanctified Gifts and Akathist services. With daylight savings time, there is always something to do around the house and gorgeous sunsets to capture on my camera. I am tempted to waste time on soccer rumors and the March Madness tournament. And I tend to get too drowsy to pray Compline as I should. It is only by the grace of God that some of my old demons have not come back to overtake me. But, I am reminded of what happens when an evil spirit has been driven out of a man and he has nothing inside of himself:

Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first (Matthew 12:43-45)

Thus, my aim is to limit, if not eliminate, the things that distract me from my prayer discipline. I can still enjoy time in photography and watching a good game. But, I must constantly and consistently fill myself with the Holy Spirit. Without feasting on spiritual nourishment, I may as well eat a steak & cheese sandwich with fried onions and peppers. If I dwell in distraction, sin will overtake me and make me a monster. If I walk in discipline, I have hope that the Lord will save his unworthy servant.

First, I want to thank those of you who have suffered through the first installment of this series. No, there are just some things you can’t make up (nor would I want to). Some of you have suggested that I make comments about greedy, self-serving ministers. Perhaps I will take on an example or two of that misbehavior (which shouldn’t be too hard to find). But, I really want to address a means of ministry that fell right on my Facebook page.

Growing up, coaches were for sports. They were demanding, pushy, and sometimes vulgar. Their task was to instruct and inspire athletes to win contest by any legal means. Christian life was handled by … Christians. They were (and still are) people who strive to be patient, humble, compassionate, and loving. Like Jesus, they were (are) there to guide whosoever will follow.

So, you can imagine that I find the idea of a “Christian Life Coach” as odd as anchovy ice cream. Not that a good priest, pastor, deaconess, or … REAL FRIEND doesn’t coach us from time to time in the ways of our Lord and Savior. But, the coaching that is done by these people is part of the whole of who they are and not the definition of what they do. And maybe that is why one of the world’s best coaches, Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho, is just a coach. The man knows the game of football (soccer) like few others. But, he is an awfully arrogant man (“I am a European Champion. I am a Special One). Christians can be highly knowledgeable in any field or discipline the Lord allows us to enter. But we cannot be boastful, impatient, cruel, or have other characteristics many secular coaches have been and are.

In the Orthodox world, believers sought (and still seek) out monastics and read the ancient fathers for guidance. I was brought up in a small Baptist church where we all knew and looked out for each other’s best interest. In any religious tradition, there are wise mothers and fathers, elders, and good friends available to walk this Christian journey with. Has our modern, self-absorbed, me-and-my-Bible society grown so cold and isolated that the office of “Christian Life Coach” is a viable option for believers? Are we to recruit and hire such coaches based on winning percentages and how well they recruit new talent? It is bad enough that we are tempted to put priest, pastors, and musicians on pedestals. What coach doesn’t want to be known for greatness?

I am not going to accuse everyone in this “Christian Life Coach” movement of being corrupt. I know of a couple of well-meaning people who are involved in this. In my opinion, we need more real friends than coaches. We need more people who we can be honest and open with and will lovingly tell us when we are on the right path and where we are messing things up. Besides, coaches look to make money from coaching. Real friends are friends because they love you.

Then again, coaches don’t let players on the court, field, or pitch without the right uniform. So if Minister LaTacha Emanuel had a “Christian Life Coach,” she wouldn’t have exposed herself so awfully in the videos I wrote about last time.

“This is the bread which came down from heaven-not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

John 6:58

Let us be in prayer for all who live in the path of Hurricane Sandy. Thanking God that the Tsunami didn’t greatly affect Alaska and Hawaii. I wish I had spent a little more time (and money, if I had it) at the Newport News Greek Festival yesterday. Spinakopida is sooooooo good!

“My Priest” has assigned me to read On The Incarnation by St. Athanasius and Of Water and Spirit by Fr. Alexander Schmemman. I have also decided to revisit Baptist doctrine in light of Orthodoxy. Sooner or later, I may reach the tipping point where I either remain where I am or convert. As of right now, I am remaining a Baptist pastor (I am still a novice in studying Orthodoxy and I have an ill wife to provide for. Thus, I will not make any hasty decisions about something as important as this).

There are times when we Baptist are clear as mud. Take for example, communion. I have found three opposing doctrines about how we are to approach this ordinance (sacrament). In the Philadelphia Baptist Confession of Faith of 1707 (Revival Literature 2007), I found these words:

Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this ordinance, do then also inwardly, by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, by spiritually receive and feed upon Christ crucified, and all the benefits of His death; the body and blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally, by spiritually present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, ans the elements themselves are to their outward senses. (Of the Lord’s Supper, pg. 68)

Strangely enough, the well-regarded A Baptist Manual of Polity and Practice (American Baptist Churches, Judson Press 1991) throws the 1701 confession out of the window:

It is not a sacred mystery in which some divine power is imparted by the very eating and drinking. No attempt should be made to create an atmosphere of deep solemnity, which would invest this occasion with som dignity different from that of other worship services. There should be quiet reverence in any meeting where a congregation gathers to worship the Lord, but no extra solemnity should characterize the Lord’s Supper. (pg. 167)

Can the spiritual receiving of and feeding of Christ not be a sacred mystery? And how is it that this day of worship not to be taken differently than other days as we only observe Communion Sunday once a month (or less)? The National Baptist (in which I am a member of) used to include the Articles of Faith in our New National Baptist Hymnal where we find these words:

And to the Lord’s Supper, in which the members of the church, by the sacred use of bread and wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination. (article 14)

In other words; yes, it is a solemn event for us. But, we still aren’t taking in anything special as it is just a commemoration. We are somewhere between the manual and the 1707 confession. With other Baptist bodies with their own doctrines and (thanks congregational rule combined with to “Soul Liberty” and Sola Scriptura) independent churches with the Baptist label, I am sure that my feeble review just scratches the surface of how many different explanations we have about Communion and how it should be practiced.

Maybe I am wrong. But, I really don’t see the benefit of our denomination having a wide variety of interpretations of this significant practice of the Christian faith. We frown up when our seminary trained pastors leave the Baptist Church and form their own independent ministries. Yet, it was our Lord and Savior who told his opponents that a house divided against its self cannot stand. It is my prayer that, at least, officials of the major Baptist conventions will get together and hammer out a more universal doctrine on Communion that we can set as the standard. But, I fear that herding cats in a thunderstorm may be an easier and more likely task.

Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it he rested from all His works God began to make.

Genesis 2:3

Fr. James Purdie of St. Basil pointed out that the first full day after God made man, He rested. I am sure, at least, one of the great church fathers or mothers pondered this and came up with something far more meaningful than what I am about to preach this morning.

I am gearing my sermons and lessons to the command Jesus gave to the first disciples, “Follow Me.” It was very easy for me to use the Gospel readings for the past two Sundays to preach from that theme. For today’s Bible Study, we neither see a Master Teacher giving lessons from a borrowed boat nor telling a confessing sinful fisherman that he will catch men from now on. In fact, we don’t see Jesus wanting attention at all.

Our Lord is in a certain city, perhaps on his way to a synagogue to teach a lesson, when a man full of leprosy comes to him seeking a cleansing. Jesus is full of compassion and willingly heals the man. But after it happens, Christ tells the man not to anyone but to the priest and make the prescribed Mosaic sacrifice. The miraculous act of our Lord’s compassion was directed to be met with sobriety and order. Human nature, either by the healed man’s disobedience or the observation of others who told of what happened, makes such a directive almost impossible. In the words of the African-American music tradition:

I couldn’t keep it to myself what the Lord has done for me

Of course, Jesus does not retaliate against him and bring the leprosy back on him. But, now Christ is unable to move about as freely as he would like. Masses of people are now coming to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. More than likely, the Lord healed those who came to him. With the added stress of expectations and hopes of so many others weighing on him, Jesus needs to do something to handle the situation.

In the text of the Orthodox Study Bible, the word often is italicized to highlight the point of how important prayer is. Except for medical professionals, we aren’t expected to heal people. But, we all deal with more stress than we would like. And at any moment, someone can spill our secrets, misuse our kindness, and demand more of us. Stress can keep us from being effective. It has been proven that it can kill us. Frequent prayer is the means Jesus used to continue in wisdom and compassion.

To follow Jesus, we should follow his rule of prayer in the text. Go somewhere to be to yourself as much as you can and pray. Union with God enables us to handle the normal expectations of life and the added stress of the unexpected. Being in crowds may feed the ego. But, it starves the soul. Find your wilderness, closet, mountain top, or somewhere else where you can be alone. Pray often. The morning mumble and mutterings while eating a doughnut is not enough to sustain faith. One should take advantage of break times and lunch during the work or school day. Even if long, audible prayers are not possible, concentrated and concise prayers are just as effective. Either must be done in sincerity. If we seek solitude and prayer often, we will also be able to live in wisdom and compassion.

If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

John 20:23

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I John 1:9

I spent my final day of vacation from Trinity Baptist by visiting another Orthodox Church. Today, it was St. Basil the Great Antiochian in Poquoson. Poquoson is one of few places in Virginia east of I-95 I had never been to. I never had much of a reason to. The little bit of town that I did see seemed to be a nice bedroom community. I didn’t visit the communities of the legendary “Bull Islander” watermen. The next time I do, I will make it a point to buy some good fresh seafood. But, today was all about worship at the church of the St. Philip’s Prayer Discipline. About 20 years ago, the Antiochians opened their doors to some 2,000 Evangelical Christians giving them Chrismation into the Orthodox faith.

Even before the Divine Liturgy, I was struck by the deep spirituality of the ancient faith. During the 9:15 Matins service, the priest, Fr. James Purdie, gave the sacrament of Confession to any who would come forward. Yes, Confession. A few (churches aren’t packed at one hour prayer services where there is more standing than sitting) people, in turn, came up to the icon of the Theotokos, whispered their confession to Fr. James. He then whispered back and they seemed to be in a conversation inaudible to the rest of the congregation. Then he placed a portion of his priestly vestment over the person’s head and proclaimed their sin. The forgiven believer kisses the icon, makes the sign of the cross, and takes their place back in the congregation prepared to receive the Eucharist (Communion).

Now, I can hear my fellow Baptist turn their noses up in disdain. “You ain’t gotta do all that to repent. Jesus knows your heart. All you got to do say is, “Lord, I’m sorry. Please forgive me in Jesus Name. Amen.” And there was a time in our rural congregations that a young lady that was pregnant or had a child out-of-wedlock had to repent before the whole church before she could take communion again, change membership to another church, or get married. Rarely did the guy she slept with have to go through such an ordeal and many other sins didn’t require such a process. So, the way it was practiced, confession was unfair (especially since some ministers and deacons were known womanizers) and burdensome. As more and more children were being born out-of-wedlock, the sacrament seemed to be a hindrance to church attendance.

Yet, there is something to be said for the accountability, humility, and trust that I saw today. Not that every sin needs to be confessed to a priest in Orthodoxy. But, he is the spiritual Father of the congregation and is responsible for giving the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist. So, if one is troubled by a serious or recurring wrong, he or she has the responsibility to let the priest know of this and repent with the priest offering an understanding ear, encouragement, and practical solution to the sin as well as a proclamation that the sin is forgiven. To come and confess one’s sin is a sign of humility and spiritual maturity. That one doesn’t play off his or her missing the mark as something to be nonchalantly brushed aside in private or in some little box in a corner. Orthodox confession is done where people cannot hear what is being said, but they know that something is being said and forgiveness is proclaimed. It takes courage and a sense of trust in one’s priest and church family that the confession will not be material for gossip and speculation. If I had to leave before the Divine Liturgy, Matins and the Confessions were enough for me to praise God for.

“So Rev., are you trying to say we ought to have confession in the Baptist church?” I am not sure how it can be introduced or reintroduced. Nor do I dare say that all is perfect among the Orthodox with this sacrament. But, let us consider what we have in our lack of a sacrament of Confession. We are accountable to no one. I don’t have to tell pastor nothing. All he is supposed to do is visit grandma in the nursing home and get his shout on so I can pat my foot and feel good about myself. We are not humble. We would rather talk about how “blessed and highly favored,” we are than to express any sort of public humility. And we continue to perpetuate an atmosphere of mistrust by not having the courage to trust. And if pastors aren’t challenged with the responsibility to forgive sins, they can be tempted to be irresponsible with their own sins. We can put on great performances of “whooping” sermons and “sanging” choirs and soloist. But without accountability, humility, and trust in the body of Christ; we are missing something in our walk with the Lord that is far more valuable than cultural expressiveness.

I don’t know. I will work on the Sunday School lesson and my sermon this week and be back serving at Trinity next Sunday. Maybe I should keep silent and just chalk this up as a “grass looks greener on the other side of the fence” episode. Or, perhaps the Lord will bless me (or someone else) with a way to explain Confession so that my fellow Baptist can understand it’s value even if they don’t agree to do it. And if we want to do it, how do we bring such a sacrament to a church that doesn’t even see Communion as a sacrament?